Apparatus for treating edge portions of can body blanks



3 Sheets-Sheet l ONN W mw w m a mQMM E RL AA H H. R. VITENSE EI'AL $1 cw m E g J Feb. 2, 1960 Filed Feb. s, 1956 Feb. 2, 1960 H. R. VITENSE ETAL 2,923,304

APPARATUS FOR TREATING EDGE PORTIONS OF CAN BODY BLANKS Filed Feb. 6, 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEYS 2, 1960 H. R. VITENSE ET AL 2,923,304

APPARATUS FOR TREATING EDGE PORTIONS OF CAN BODY BLANKS Filed Feb. 6, 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTORS HAROLD E. VITEINSE WALTER F. PILLNIK la /Mam ATTORNEYS APPARATUS FOR TREATING EDGE PORTIONS F CAN BODY BLANKS Harold R. Vitense, Mundelein, and Walter F. Pillnik,

Fox River Grove, 11]., assignors to American Can Company, New York, N .Y., a corporation of New Jersey Application February 6, 1956, Serial No. 563,576 7 Claims. (Cl. 134-63) The present invention relates to an apparatus for treating opposed marginal edge portions of can body blanks and the like and has particular reference to devices for temporarily springing the blanks into a bowed condition and for holding and conveying them in this condition to facilitate treatment of the edge portions.

This application is a companion to the following appli-,

v Articles, and application Serial Number 563,626, filed February 6, 1956, in the names of Karl Bofinger and Bert A. Deisch on Apparatus for Treating Articles, and

application Serial Number 563,577, filed February 6,

1956, in the name of Harold R. Vitense on Method of Treating Edge Portions of Blanks. All of these applications are assigned to the assignee of the instant application.

An object of the instant invention is the provision in a machine for treating opposed marginal edge portions of can body blanks, of devices for temporarily springing the blanks into a bowed condition and for holding them in this condition while conveying them along a path of travel to complete one or more treatment operations on the marginal edge portions of the blanks without further or repeated flexing or bowing of the blanks.

Another object is the provision of a novel conveyor provided with holding elements which receive a bowed blank and retain it in its bowed condition while conveying the blank along a predetermined path of travel with its marginal edge portions free and exposed for a series of treatments.

Another object is the provision of novel devices for springing the blanks into a bowed condition without permanently deforming them so that upon release after certain treatment of its marginal edge portions, the blank will flex back into its original flat condition for subsequent treatment.

Numerous other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent as it is better understood from the following description, which, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, discloses a preferred embodiment thereof.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of an apparatus embodying the instant invention, parts being broken away;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken through a treating device used in the apparatus;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the apparatus shown in Fig, 1, with parts broken away;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially I along the line 4-4 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is an.enlarged perspective detail of a blank away;

United States Patent 0 Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially along the broken line 6-6 in Fig. 1, with parts broken away; i

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 6 showing certain of the movable parts in a different position; and

Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 88 in Fig. 6, with parts broken away.

As a preferred or exemplary embodiment of the instant invention the drawings illustrate principal parts of an apparatus for temporarily springing fiat sheet metal can body blanks A (Figs. 3, 4 and 5) of rectangular contour, into a bowed condition and for conveying the bowed blanks along a predetermined path of travel to pass side seam marginal edge portions B of the blanks through one or more treating stations, such as pickling, water rinse, plating, drying and/or other stations to prepare the marginal edge portions for incorporation into a side seam of a finished can body.

The flat blanks A are fed into the apparatus (at the left as viewed in Figs. 1 and 3) in'a horizontal position and in processional spaced and timed relation by feeding devices, preferably comprising a pair of spaced and parallel reciprocable stroke bars 21 (Figs, 1 and.3) extending longitudinally of the apparatus and carrying blank propelling dogs 22. The blanks A are supported on a fiat bed plate 24 mounted in a main frame 25 and are guided by longitudinally extending angle iron guide rails 26 secured to the frame 25.

The stroke bars 21 are disposed in longitudinal grooves 28 (Fig. 3) formed in the bed plate 24 and are reciprocated in unison through a forward (toward the right as viewed in Figs. 1 and 3) or feed stroke and thence through. a return stroke by crank action. For this latter purpose the stroke bars 21 are connected together and are formed with a depending lug 31 (Fig. 1) connected by a link 32 to the upper end of an upright lever 33 mounted at its lower end on a pivot pin 34 carried in the frame 25. Intermediate its length the lever 33 is connected to a pitman 36 actuated by a pair of crank discs 37 (Fig. 6) on a rotating driving shaft 38. The shaft 38 is journaled in bearings 39 formed in the main frame 25 and is driven in any suitable manner.

The stroke bars .21 advance the flat blanks A intermittently or in step-by-step fashion into a bowing station C (Figs. 1, 3, 6, 7, and 8) disposed in the path of travel of the blanks. As a blank A as shown in dot and dash lines in Fig. 6, advances into the bowing station, its outer or side seam marginal edge portions B ride onto a pair of short support rails 41 formed on brackets 42 which extend out from uprights 43 of the frame 25. At the same time the marginal edge portions B ride under a pair of horizontally disposed stop rails 44 which project inwardly from the brackets 42 so that the stop rails 44 overhang the outer marginal edge portions B of the blank.

At the bowing station C, the blank supported on the support rails 41 is brought to rest over a vertically reciprocating bowing pad 47 (Figs. 6, 7 and 8). This bowing pad 47 preferably comprises a horizontally disposed plate 48 located under the middle or mid-portion of the blank. The plate 48 carries a pair of spaced upright bosses 49, each of which is located between the mid-portion of the blank and its outer marginal edge portions B as best shown in Fig. 6. Each boss 49 carries a bowing element 51 having a convex top or bowing face which curves downwardly and outwardly for engagement against the lower face of the blank, preferably near but spaced inwardly from the outermarginal edge portions B.

The bowing pad plate 48 is carried on the upperend of a vertical rod 53 (Figs. 6, 7 and 8)v mounted for reciprocation in a pair of vertically spaced slide. bearings 54 formed in the frame 25 and in a bracket 55 attached carried in the frame 25.

to the frame. The plate 48 is guided against turning on the rod 53 by a guide pin 56 which projects up from the bracket 55 and extends through the plate (see Fig. 8). The lower end of the rod 53 is provided with rack teeth 58 which mesh with a gear segment 59 (Fig. 6) formed on one arm of a bell crank 61 mounted on a pivot pin 62 The other arm of the bell crank 61 carries a cam roller 63 which operates in a cam groove 64 of a barrel cam 65 mounted on the drive shaft 38 for rotation therewith in time with the reciprocation of the stroke bars 21.

In operation, the cam 65 rocks the bell crank 61 when the blank is fully at rest at the bowing station C, and thereby elevates the rod 53 and the bowing pad 47 connected therewith to the top of the stroke of the rod as shown in Fig. 7. This action moves the bowing elements 51 up against the bottom face of the flat blank A and raises the mid-portion of the blank while its outer marginal edge portions B are restrained against vertical displacement by the stop rails 44. This results in a temporary springing, but not permanent bending or deforming, of the blank A into a convexly bowed condition, with its marginal edge portions B extending downwardly and outwardly to correspond substantially to the curvature of the top faces of the bowing elements 51 as shown in full lines in Fig. 6.

While the bowing pad 47 momentarily holds the blank A in this bowed condition, the blank is removed from the bowing station C and is advanced along a preferably straight line path of travel while maintaining the blank in its bowed condition for passage of the marginal edge portions B through one or more treating stations for treatment of these edges. This advancement of the bowed blank A and its maintenance in a bowed condition is effected by a treating conveyor 71 (Figs. 1,

3, and 6) which preferably is a pair of spaced and parallel endless chains 72 extending longitudinally of the apparatus, above the path of travel of the blanks and overhanging the bowing station C. The two chains 72 operate over a pair of drive sprockets 73 (Figs. 1 and 3) and a pair of idler sprockets 74 located at opposite ends of the apparatus. Between the sprockets 73, 74, the lower runs of the chains 72 are supported in a horizontal position by rollers 75 which are attached to the chains at spaced intervals and which operate in horizontal tracks 76 attached to the frame 25.

The idler sprockets 74 are mounted on a transverse idler shaft 77 journaled in bearings 78 (Figs. 1 and 3) in the main frame 25. The drive sprockets 73 are mounted on a transverse drive shaft 79 journaled in bearings 80 in the frame 25. The drive shaft 79 is rotated continuously in time with the other moving parts of the apparatus through a spur gear 81 (Fig. 3) which is carried on the drive shaft. The gear 81 meshes with and is rotated by a gear 82 (see also Fig. 6) mounted on a short stub shaft 83 journaled in a bearing 84 'in the frame 25. The stub shaft 83 is rotated from the main drive shaft 38 through an endless chain 85 which operates over sprockets 86, 87 mounted respectively on the stub shaft 83 and the main drive shaft 38.

At spaced intervals along their lengths, the conveyor chains 72 carry transversely aligned feed dogs 91 (Figs. 1, 3, 4, 5 and 6) for propelling engagement behind blanks A located at the bowing station C. The feed dogs 91 are formed with broad bases 92 which carry pairs of spaced and parallel outwardly projecting pins 93, 94 which are normal to the propelling faces of the dogs.

, The pins 93, 94 are located in the dogs 91 in such a manner as to engage against opposite faces of a bowed blank A adjacent its marginal edge portions B, with the pin 93 extending under the blank as shown in Fig. 5 and the pin 94 extending above the blank. The pin 93 preferably is a short pin to facilitate engagement under the blank, While the pin 94 is a long pin extending across a major portion of the blank to support it against turning or twistmg.

In operation, a pair of the feed dogs 91 traveling downwardly over the conveyor drive sprockets '73 (as viewed in Fig. 1) with their pins 93, 94 projecting outwardly ahead of them, ride into the lower runs of the conveyor chains 72 and advance toward a bowed blank A at the bowing station C. The bowed blank is in edgewise alignment with the advancing pins so that as the feed dogs 91 move forward, the pins 93, 94 straddle the rear edge of the bowed blank adjacent its marginal edge portions B with the short pins 93 engaging under the blank and the long pins engaging above the blank as mentioned above. Continued advancement of the feed dogs 91 engages their forward faces against the rear edge of the bowed blank and thereby push the blank edgewise off the bowing pad 47 and its edge portions B from under the stop rails 44.

As the bowed blank A leaves the bowing pad 47 and stop rails 44, the holding pins 93, 94 function to hold the blank in its bowed condition by reason of their location on opposite faces of the blank. Thus the blank A is not only held in its bowed condition by the conveyor 71 but is carried and advanced by the conveyor along a desired path of travel. The holding pins 93, 94 are located inwardly of the outer edges of the blank a sufficient distance to leave the marginal edge portions B free and exposed for treatment. Longitudinal, horizontally disposed spaced and parallel guide rails or bars 96, 97 respectively located above and below the path of travel of the mid-portion of the bowed blank A are provided to guide and partially support the mid-portions of the blanks as they are advanced through the apparatus by the feed dogs 91. i

As the bowed blanks A, held in their bowed condition by the pins 93, 94 are advanced by the feed dogs 91, the free and exposed marginal edge portions B of the blanks are passed through one or more treating stations D located on both sides of the apparatus, for treating both opposed edge portions B simultaneously. The drawings illustrate only one such treating station D on each side of the apparatus, for simplicity but it should be understood that any number of such stations may be provided In end-to-end relation along the apparatus.

The treating station D illustrated preferably is an example of means for treating the marginal edge portions B with a liquid-form treating substance 101 (Fig. 2) such as a pickling solution, a water rinse, an electroplating solution or other suitable substance. The treat ing substance 101 preferably is contained in an elongated reservoir 102 mounted one on each side of the apparatus on the frame 25 (see also Fig. 3) and in the path of travel of the bowed marginal edge portionsB of the advancing blank A. The end walls of the reservoir 102 preferably are formed with narrow slots 103 (see also Fig. 7) for the passage of the marginal edge portions B through the end walls and into and through the reservoir while being retained in their bowed condition. The treating substance 101 is introduced into the reservoir 102 by way of an inlet pipe 105, at a rate which maintains a predetermined hydrostatic head in the reservoir and above the bottom edge of the slots 103, suflicient to exceed the loss of substance flowing out through the slots. The outfiowing substance is caught in catch basins 107 formed at the ends of the reservoir and provided with blank clearance slots 108 and drain pipes 109.

otherwise vertically moving the blank A or its marginal s -PortionsB to betreatedp H 'hUpo'ir passing through the treating station or stations LP; the blank is ready fordischarge for further treatm'ent if-requiredt"Discharge of the treated blank preferably is efiected by a pair of spaced and parallel auxiliary on.discharge conveyors-111'(Figs. 1, 3 and 4) located at thejdischarge. end, of the apparatus (at the right as viewed in Figs; 1' and 3) and partially under the path .ofi travelzof the bowedblank A. traveling with the treating. conveyor-.71... These discharge conveyors 111 prefierably areaendlesschains.1.12havingtransversely aligned jie'ed. dbgs:-:113.secured. thereto latspaced intervals. At the; discharge end. of. theapparatus the chainsv 112 operate over a pair of spaced idler sprockets 115 mounted on a transverse shaft 116 journaled in bearings 117 formed in the main frame 25. The chains 112 lead to any suitable place of deposit for the blanks and are operated in any suitable manner at a speed of travel slightly greater than the speed of the conveyor 71.

In operation, a pair of the discharge feed dogs v113 ride up behind the rear edge of a treated bowed blank A while it is carried by the treating conveyor 71 and just before it approaches the idler sprockets 74 of the conveyor. The feed dogs 113 travel faster than the conveyor 71 and thus engage the rear edge of the treated bowed blank A and push the blank forward out of the grip of the holding pins 93, 94 on the feed dogs 91 of the conveyor 71. The bowed marginal edge porticns B of the released blank A thus spring upwardly ino their original position from the position indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 4 to the full line position, to return the blank to its original flat condition. During this release and springing back into fiat position, the blank A is supported by the upper guide rails 96 and by a pair of lower short guide rails 121 (Fig. 4) having tapered inclined upper edges (see Fig. l) which engage against the lower face of the blank during release. Upon being fully released from the treating conveyor 71, the discharge conveyors 111 carry the flat and treated blank A to any suitable place of deposit.

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the form hereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

We claim:

1. In an apparatus for treating opposed marginal edge portions of can body blanks, the combination of a pair of spaced and parallel endless conveyors for receiving and advancing along a predetermined path of travel through opposed treating stations at said can body blank temporarily sprung into a bowed condition to position for treatment of its marginal edge portions free and angularly exposed relative to said conveyor means, and pairs of cooperating spaced and parallel pins carried by each of said conveyors adjacent the bowed marginal edge portions of said blank and extending in the direction of travel of said conveyors for the edgewise reception of said blank between the pins of each pair and for retaining said blank in its bowed condition during advancement by said conveyor means.

2. In an apparatus for treating opposed marginal edge portions of can body blanks, the combination of a blank bowing station, a feeding conveyor for advancing substantially fiat unbowed blanks to said blank bowing station, a treating conveyor for receiving and advancing a bowed blank along a predetermined path of travel through opposed treating stations, said blank bowing station comprising means for temporarily springing said blank into a bowed condition with its marginal edge portions free and angularly exposed relative to said treating conveyor, holding means mounted on and moving with said treating conveyor for engaging opposed faces of said blank to' retain it' in its bowed condition during advancement of said free marginal edges through said treating stations, a discharge conveyor to remove said bowed and treated blanks from said treating conveyor, and guide means disposed adjacent said discharge conveyor and in the path of said marginal edge portions of the blank to assure return of said bowed blank to its original flat condition.

3. In an apparatus for treating opposed marginal edge portions of can body blanks, the combination of a blank bowing staiton, conveyor. means for receiving and advancing a. saidblank along a predetermined path of travel through said blank bowing station and thence through opposed treating stations; blank bowing means at said bowing station for temporarily springing said blank into a bowed condition, said bowing means comprising a pair of spaced and parallel stop rails disposed at said bowing station and adjacent and overhanging marginal edge portions of a blank at said station, and a reciprocable pad disposed at said station between and below said stop rails at a location adjacent the midportion of a said blank at said station, and actuating means for elevating said pad to engage the marginal edge portions of said blank against said stop rails and to spring the mid-portion of said blank into a position above said stop rails to produce the temporary bowed condition in said blank; and holding means on said conveyor means for engaging and retaining said blank in its bowed condition during advancement by said conveyor means.

4. In an apparatus for treating opposed marginal edge portions of can body blanks, the combination of a blank bowing station, conveyor means for receiving and advancing a said blank along a predetermined path of travel through said blank bowing station and thence through opposed treating stations; blank bowing means at said bowing station for temporarily springing said blank into a bowed condition, said bowing means comprising a pair of spaced and parallel stop rails disposed at said bowing station and adjacent and overhanging marginal edge portions of a blank at said station, and a reciprocable pad disposed at said station between and below said stop rails at a location adjacent the mid-portion of a said blank at said station, and actuating means for elevating said pad to engage the marginal edge portions of said blank against said stop rails and to spring the mid-portion of said blank into a position above said stop rails to produce the temporary bowed condition in said blank; holding means on said conveyor means for engaging and retaining said blank in its bowed condition during advancement by said conveyor means, and means for actuating said conveyor means and said pad in timed relation whereby said pad bows eachblank into the path of said holding means on the moving conveyor in time to be engaged and retained in bowed condition by said holding means and thus advanced by said conveyor.

5. In an apparatus for treating marginal edge portions of can body blanks, the combination of conveyor means for advancing a normally substantially flat but temporarily bowed blank along a predetermined path of travel through a treating station, said conveyor means having a plurality of projections mounted thereon and disposed adjacent at least one lateral marginal edge portion of said bowed blank for engaging opposed faces of said blank to retain it in its bowed condition as it is advanced with said lateral marginal edge portion thereof free and angularly disposed relative to said conveyor means, and treating means at said station disposed in the path of said free lateral edge portion of the advancing bowed blank to receive and treat said edge portion as it passes through said station.

6. The combination defined in claim 5 wherein at least one of said projections extends across a major portion of the width of said bowed blank to support said blank in a predetermined position.

7 7 7. In an apparatus for treating marginal edge portions of can body blanks, the combination of conveyor means for advancing a normally substantially flat but temporarily bowed blank alonga predetermined path of travel through a treating station, said conveyor means at said .station disposed in the pathofsaid freed a tcral edge portion of the advancing bowed blanknto and treat said edge portion as it passes ,through (1 station. a i x References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS: a

1,074,630 Kruse "Oct, 7,1913 2,157,228 Buccicone et a1. May 9; I939 2,442,350 Feiber June 1,1948 2,523,350 Woolford Sept, 26,1950 2,623,233 

